Assemblymember Rodriguez’s Legislation to Combat Statewide Smash and Grab Theft Signed into Law

(Sacramento, CA) Yesterday, Assembly Bill (AB) 2356 was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom, combatting the recent wave of group “smash and grab” robberies. This legislation codifies People v. Bailey, which determined that individual acts of theft can be accumulated and prosecuted as a felony if motivated by one intention, one general impulse, and one plan, passing the threshold for grand theft.

“I want to thank my Assembly and Senate colleagues, as well as Governor Newsom, for their support of this measure. Current law provided that an individual who steals less than $950 may be charged with only petty theft. AB 2356 now ensures that these coordinated patterns of theft will be charged appropriately,” stated Assemblymember Rodriguez.  

Coordinated crimes or “smash and grab” robberies often involve violence, trespassing, and high-value theft. Now, AB 2356 will act as a deterrence for these crimes, easing retailers’ concerns about the safety of their customers and employees.  

“Protecting business owners from immense loss amounting to thousands of dollars is a priority of mine, especially those small businesses who have already faced an uphill battle following the pandemic. Ensuring that perpetrators hurting these businesses are charged to reflect the nature of their crime is one way to help prevent these incidents from continuing,” added Assemblymember Rodriguez.

Assemblymember Rodriguez (Twitter) represents the 53rd Assembly District which includes the cities of Chino, Montclair, Ontario, Pomona, and Upland. He is Chair of the Assembly Committee on Emergency Management.